Women for Change – Zambia

• A project of United Church Women all across Canada.

• It’s well-known world-wide that to educate a girl is to educate a nation. Nothing correlates better with a country’s development than education for girls. But especially in rural areas, traditionally girls in Africa have less support from their families to stay in school. Women For Change offers bursaries for motivated girls and a small number of especially needy and deserving boys to continue their education, so that they become wage-earning supporters of their families, and community leaders and role models for others.

• The program supplies such education necessities as school fees, uniforms, books, mattresses, travel luggage, transport money, school supplies, boarding costs where necessary, and groceries. Currently it is aiding 33 girls and 11 boys.

• It takes place in five secondary schools

Mumbwa SS – 7 girls, 6 boys

Kalilwe SS – 4 girls, 2 boys

Nangoma SS – 7 girls, 3 boys

Nambala SS – 8 girls

Chiwena Hope SS – 7 girls

These schools are in the districts of Nangoma and Mumbwa, respectively 120 and 150 km northwest of Lusaka.

The students to be sponsored were recommended by their teachers for their ability, motivation, and need.

• What parents have said

“We were in desperate situations to think of how our children were going to continue with education.”

“The sponsorship has come as a dream come true.”

“It is a blessing that among the many vulnerable children ours have been picked.”

“We commit ourselves to support our children in kind in whatever way we can.”

• Gwendoline’s story

Gwendoline Mukuni at Nangoma Primary School became pregnant while in Grade 9 and gave birth just before the final examinations. While out of school waiting to give birth, she studied very hard and when the time came presented herself and was allowed to write the examinations.

The results showed that she was one of the best students and she qualified to go to boarding school for Grade 10.

Gwendoline says that she will put her best into her education in order to have a good career. She thanks the United Church Women for their help and Women for Change for facilitating the sponsorship. She also thanks her mother who has offered to look after her three-month-old baby.

• Sipho’s story

Sipho Machala was born in 2003, with kyphosis spinal curvature and only one arm. When he was five his father was sentenced to prison and he was brought up by his mother who struggled to make ends meet. School was not easy because sometimes other students would laugh at his condition. But his performance was exceptional. After grade 7 he moved to live with an aunt so that he could attend the Secondary Boarding School in Mumbwa. But just before exams last year his aunt died and he was left with his young cousin to look after themselves until the end of the school year. His father was released from jail at the end of last year. He is happy that he has found a scholarship and that he is able to do so well in school. You see him below in the photo with other Women for Change bursary students at Mumbwa receiving their school supplies.

• For more information, see the UCC national web site at

https://united-church.ca/stories/women-work-change-zambia

• For information locally on supporting Women For Change in Antler River Region, contact us through the handy Contact form linked on our Home page.